Boston Police Are Already Calling The Site Of The Marathon Blast 'Ground Zero'

Boston police and other emergency responders are already calling the site of the Boston Marathon bomb blast "Ground Zero."

The explosion was less than an hour old when the moniker was applied.

That, of course, was the nickname given to the World Trade Center site when it was destroyed in a terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001.

It was not commonly used to describe terrorist incidents or explosions prior to Sept. 11, 2001.

On a live feed of police scanners in Boston, emergency responders could be heard talking about a controlled explosion they were preparing (presumably to get rid of an as yet undetonated device). They said:

"Staging area at Ring, Westin is close to ground zero."

"You will hear a loud explosion momentarily. … the police are going to be doing it."

"There is an going to be a controlled explosion in the area of Grounds Zero at Boylston."

The command has also gone out for no cell phones to be used, probably because cell phones can set off explosive fumes.

The site of the explosion is near Boylston Street and the Westin Hotel.